{"id":"F2025L01626","name":"Statement of Principles concerning femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 4 of 2026)","slug":"f2025l01626","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":443107,"registerId":"F2025L01626-fast-fetch-1775958027946","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Statement of Principles concerning femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 4 of 2026)","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![RMA Australian Government Coat of Arms](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nStatement of Principles\n\nconcerning\n\nFEMOROACETABULAR IMPINGEMENT SYNDROME  (Balance of Probabilities)\n\n(No. 4 of 2026)\n\nThe Repatriation Medical Authority determines the following Statement of Principles under subsection 196B(3) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.\n\n \n\nDated 19 December 2025\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nProfessor Terence Campbell AM\n\nChairperson\n\nby and on behalf of\n\nThe Repatriation Medical Authority\n\n \n\n   \n\n\nContents\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\n4 Repeal\n\n5 Application\n\n6 Definitions\n\n7 Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates\n\n8 Basis for determining the factors\n\n9 Factors that must exist\n\n10 Relationship to service\n\n11 Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles\n\nSchedule 1 - Dictionary\n\n1 Definitions\n\n \n\n \n\n\n\n\n1.                Name\n\n\nThis is the Statement of Principles concerning femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 4 of 2026).\n\n1.                Commencement\n\n\n              This instrument commences on 19 January 2026.\n\n1.                Authority\n\n\nThis instrument is made under subsection 196B(3) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.\n\n1.                Repeal\n\n\nThe Statement of Principles concerning femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (Balance of Probabilities) (No. 43 of 2017) (Federal Register of Legislation No. F2017L00884) made under subsection 196B(3) of the VEA is repealed.\n\n1.                Application\n\n\nThis instrument applies to a claim to which section 120B of the VEA or section 339 of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 applies.\n\n1.                Definitions\n\n\nThe terms defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary have the meaning given when used in this instrument.\n\n1.                Kind of injury, disease or death to which this Statement of Principles relates\n  1.           This Statement of Principles is about femoroacetabular impingement syndrome and death from femoroacetabular impingement syndrome.\n  2.           This Statement of Principles applies to femoroacetabular impingement syndrome that has been diagnosed on the basis of:\n    1.           relevant symptoms and corresponding clinical signs of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome; and\n    2.           imaging findings that are consistent with abnormal morphology at the hip joint that leads to impingement, such as, but not limited to, cam morphology or pincer morphology.\n\n\nNote 1: It will usually be the case that the date of the imaging findings of abnormal morphology at the hip joint is after the date of clinical onset.\n\nNote 2: clinical onset is defined in the schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\nMeaning of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome\n\n1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, femoroacetabular impingement syndrome means a disorder of the hip due to abnormal contact between the proximal femur and the acetabulum, in the presence of:\n  1.           relevant symptoms and corresponding clinical signs; and\n  1.           abnormal morphology at the hip joint that leads to impingement, such as, but not limited to, cam morphology or pincer morphology. \n\n\nNote 1: The primary symptom of femoroacetabular impingement is motion-related or position-related pain in the hip or groin.  Pain may also be felt in the back, buttock or thigh.  In addition to pain, patients may also describe clicking, catching, locking, stiffness, restricted range of motion or giving way of the hip.\n\nNote 2: Clinical signs include hip impingement tests that reproduce the patient's typical pain, a limited range of hip motion, gait abnormalities, and weakness or tenderness of muscles around the hip.\n\nNote 3: This disorder may be associated with a labral tear involving the affected hip.\n\nNote 4: cam morphology and pincer morphology are defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\nDeath from femoroacetabular impingement syndrome\n\n1.           For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, femoroacetabular impingement syndrome, in relation to a person, includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person's femoroacetabular impingement syndrome.\n\n\nNote: terminal event is defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\n1.                Basis for determining the factors\n\n\nOn the sound medical‑scientific evidence available, the Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that it is more probable than not that femoroacetabular impingement syndrome and death from femoroacetabular impingement syndrome can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans or members of the Forces under the VEA, or members under the MRCA.\n\nNote: MRCA, relevant service and VEA are defined in the Schedule 1 – Dictionary.\n\n1.                Factors that must exist\n\n\nAt least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, femoroacetabular impingement syndrome or death from femoroacetabular impingement syndrome is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:\n\n1.           undertaking weight bearing exercise involving repeated activity of the hip on the affected side for:\n  1.           a minimum intensity of 8 METS; and\n  2.           for at least 6 hours per week; and\n\n\nfor cumulative period of at least 5 years before clinical onset;\n\nNote: MET (metabolic equivalent) is a unit of measure of the level of physical capability of the cardiorespiratory system. Examples of weight bearing exercise involving repeated activity of the hip at a minimum intensity of 8 METS include, but are not limited to, competitive soccer, competitive football, basketball, vigorous downhill skiing, hockey, vigorous calisthenics and martial arts.\n\n1.           undertaking weight bearing exercise involving repeated activity of the hip on the affected side for:\n  1.           a minimum intensity of 8 METS; and\n  1.           for at least 6 hours per week; and\n\n\nfor cumulative period of at least 1 year before clinical worsening;\n\nNote: MET (metabolic equivalent) is a unit of measure of the level of physical capability of the cardiorespiratory system. Examples of weight bearing exercise involving repeated activity of the hip at a minimum intensity of 8 METS include, but are not limited to, competitive soccer, competitive football, basketball, vigorous downhill skiing, hockey, vigorous calisthenics and martial arts.\n\n1.           inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome before clinical worsening.\n\n\n1.            Relationship to service\n  1.           The existence in a person of any factor referred to in section 9, must be related to the relevant service rendered by the person.\n  2.           The clinical worsening aspect of factors set out in section 9 apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, femoroacetabular impingement syndrome where the person's femoroacetabular impingement syndrome was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person's relevant service.\n2.            Factors referring to an injury or disease covered by another Statement of Principles\n\n\nIn this Statement of Principles:\n\n1.           if a factor referred to in section 9 applies in relation to a person; and\n2.           that factor refers to an injury or disease in respect of which a Statement of Principles has been determined under subsection 196B(3) of the VEA;\n\n\nthen the factors in that Statement of Principles apply in accordance with the terms of that Statement of Principles as in force from time to time.\n\n \n\n \n\nSchedule 1 - Dictionary  \n\nNote:               See Section 6\n\n1               Definitions\n\nIn this instrument:\n\n                               cam morphology means a flattening or convexity at the femoral head neck junction, or a non-spherical femoral head with an abnormal femoral head-neck offset.\n\n                                clinical onset means the point backwards in time from the first date of imaging findings of abnormal morphology at the hip joint, to the date at which the symptoms of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome were persistently present, as assessed by a registered medical practitioner.\n\n                               femoroacetabular impingement syndrome—see subsection 7(3).\n\n                             MRCA means the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004.\n\n                             pincer morphology means global or focal overcoverage of the femoral head by the acetabulum.\n\n                             relevant service means:\n\n(a)          eligible war service (other than operational service) under the VEA;\n\n(b)          defence service (other than hazardous service and British nuclear test defence service) under the VEA; or\n\n(c)          peacetime service under the MRCA.\n\nNote: MRCA and VEA are also defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.\n\n                             terminal event means the proximate or ultimate cause of death and includes the following:\n\n(a)           pneumonia;\n\n(b)           respiratory failure;\n\n(c)           cardiac arrest;\n\n(d)           circulatory failure; or\n\n(e)           cessation of brain function.\n\n                             VEA means the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986.\n\n \n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a standard replacement of an existing Statement of Principles with the same scope. It updates the medical criteria for FAI syndrome but does not expand beyond the original purpose of determining service connection for this specific condition under the veterans' compensation scheme."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple defined terms in Schedule 1 (8 specific definitions including technical medical terms like 'cam morphology' and 'pincer morphology')","Nested conditions in section 9 with three cumulative requirements for exercise factors (intensity threshold + weekly hours + duration)","Cross-references between the main instrument and Schedule 1 dictionary","Conditional logic distinguishing between 'clinical onset' (new condition) and 'clinical worsening' (aggravation)","Reference to external legislation (VEA and MRCA) for scope of 'relevant service'","Technical medical threshold requiring specific MET (metabolic equivalent) intensity measurements","Dual pathway structure requiring connection to service under either of two different Acts"],"plain_english_summary":"Sets medical criteria for when the Department of Veterans' Affairs accepts femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAI) as connected to service, replacing the 2017 rules. It affects Australian veterans and current/former Defence members claiming under the VEA or MRCA and matters because it determines access to treatment and compensation for hip damage linked to repeated high‑intensity, weight‑bearing activity in service."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The instrument expressly repeals the 2017 Statement of Principles (s.4) and replaces it with updated diagnostic and causation criteria (see ss.7–10). It adds quantified activity thresholds, an explicit clinical‑worsening pathway, and a defined inclusion of death from related terminal events, thereby changing the statutory criteria applied to VEA/MRCA claims."},"complexity_factors":["Technical medical definitions and signs (cam/pincer morphology, labral tear, clinical onset) requiring specialist interpretation.","Quantified physical‑activity thresholds (minimum 8 METS; minimum 6 hours/week) and specified cumulative periods (5 years before onset, 1 year before clinical worsening).","Dual diagnostic requirement of both clinical symptoms/signs and imaging evidence of abnormal hip morphology.","Temporal and evidentiary burdens: retrospective assessment of clinical onset, imaging often post‑dates onset, and proving ‘clinical worsening’.","Interplay with Veterans' Entitlements Act (VEA) and MRCA claims and cross‑reference to other Statements of Principles.","Repeal of the 2017 Statement of Principles and substitution with new criteria (administrative change that may alter claim outcomes).","Ambiguous standard ‘inability to obtain appropriate clinical management’ creates discretionary assessment and evidentiary difficulties.","Practical measurement challenges (estimating METS, hours/week, cumulative exposure) that likely require expert evidence.","Inclusion of death from terminal events with an expanded definition of terminal events to be attributed to the condition."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument replaces the Repatriation Medical Authority's prior Statement of Principles for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome and takes effect 19 January 2026. It sets the medical test for diagnosis (symptoms plus imaging) and specifies the factual factors that, on the balance of probabilities, link the condition or death to a veteran's relevant service under the VEA or MRCA.\n\nThe Statement imposes measurable thresholds for service‑related causation — e.g. repeated weight‑bearing activity at ≥8 METS for ≥6 hours/week over specified cumulative periods — which determine eligibility for service‑related compensation."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/f2025l01626","history":"/api/acts/f2025l01626/history","analysis":"/api/acts/f2025l01626/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/f2025l01626/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/f2025l01626/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/f2025l01626/documents"}}